Women's Responsibility In Ancient Rome

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Social value on women’s responsibility in 1st c. AD Rome
For much of ancient Roman history, a Roman woman had been perceived as second-class citizens whose primary role was that of a homemaker. However, due to the vast change in the cultural climate during the 1st century AD, Roman women gained rights in their society as well as in their family. Such a change started with Roman leaders, emperors, and poets whom had glorified women in their writings. This elevation of women’s status had a trickle down effect because Roman citizens looked up and respected the thinking of these wise authors. The question then arises: How did the social values of the Roman empires around 1st century AD help shaped the social responsibility of women in familial …show more content…
“Res Gestae.” Trans. A. S. Kline. MMW 12: Classical and Medieval Tradition. Comp. Janet Smarr. La Jolla, CA: University Readers. University of California San Diego. Winter 2013. 6-7. This is a list of the 35 tenants that are found on the funerary inscriptions of the Roman emperor Augustus and how he should be remembered by the Roman people. The 35 tenants are grouped into four sections which include his political, public, military, and personal accomplishments. Although the Res Gestae does not explicitly state the elevation of women’s status during Augustus’ reign, it does imply that the hierarchical shift in values contributed as the primary cause of women’s standing in Roman society. By restoring the law back to the customs of his ancestors, Augustus contributed to the rise in the hierarchical status of women who gained the same social status as their fathers instead of their …show more content…
“Augustus.” MMW 12: Classical and Medieval Tradition. Comp. Janet Smarr. La Jolla, CA: University Readers. University of California San Diego. Winter 2013. 1-5. Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus wrote The Twelve Caesars in 121 AD as a set of 12 biographies of the most famous Emperors in Roman history. Suetonius was the personal secretary of Hadrian and very knowledgeable in the Emperors before him gathering his information from a variety of primary and secondary sources. Suetonius argues that although Augustus was best known for his achievements to Rome such as the restoration of the free Republican government, Augustus is also known for his many wives and mistresses whom he had a love/hate relationship. Through Augustus’ own marriages and the treatment of his daughters, audiences can see that marriage is a balance between love and the generation of progeny. His punishment of his own daughter for adultery also underscores the new responsibilities that women as a cornerstone of the family
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